18-year-old killed in Westboro crash was senior at Assabet Valley

Sunday

Jan 5, 2014 at 10:46 AM

By Scott J. Croteau and Bronislaus B. Kush TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WESTBORO — An 18-year-old varsity soccer player at Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School in Marlboro was killed early Sunday morning when the family van he was driving crashed on Route 9 near the Speedway Plaza.

Police said that Pablo C. Salcedo, of 15 Willow St., a senior at Assabet, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officials said they received a call about 12:30 a.m. Sunday reporting a two-car accident with one driver stuck in his vehicle in the westbound lane.

Arriving officers found a man trapped in a 2001 Dodge Caravan that had rolled over. The accident victim was later extricated by the members of the Fire Department.

“It appears that the Salcedo vehicle was proceeding west on Route 9 and he struck the sand-filled barrels at the Speedway Plaza intersection,” police said in a news release. “The vehicle then struck the Jersey barrier, rolling onto its side and then into the eastbound lane.”

Police said the van also struck another vehicle that was driven by 31-year-old Srikrishnan Balasubramanian of 185 Main St., Marlboro. He was not injured.

Officials said the roadway was “cleared” about 7 a.m.

The accident is under investigation by Officer Clifford Luce and members of the Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council’s Accident Reconstruction Unit.

School officials, including Principal Mark Hollick, referred media inquiries Sunday night to school Superintendent and Director Patrick Collins, who declined to comment.